This might be a bit to personal so I'm sorry if it crosses some of your boundaries of questions appropriate to ask.

Do you ever get chest sore after a long ride?

I ride her for two hours every day. One hour in the mid-late morning and one hour in the evening after dinner. Ever since I started getting a chest big enough to bounce when moving, riding has made me slightly chest sore at times depending on the activity. Now I'm a good size for me but I've had to move onto putting on a snug sports bra over my regular bra in order to not bounce around to the point where it hurts later.

I do post at the trot and even then I get a big chest sore if we're just working on neck bending and leg yielding. The canter isn't as bad but it's really the trot that's been killing my chest.

I was just wondering if I was the only one with bouncy issues when riding.

sorry if this is a bit too personal a question or too much information. I tried to word it lightly so as not to offend anyone. :lol:

sparksgirl

09-17-2009 08:43 AM

you need a "snug fitting" sports bra. and oh I feel your pain!

~*~anebel~*~

09-17-2009 08:47 AM

Three letters, GDB!!
I myself am not well endowed, so I find that a well fitted sports bra does wonders, but I ride at a barn with a lot of middle aged women, some of whom are. They all have GDBs (Giant Dressage Bras) as they call them :P
These bras are specially made for equestrians, and they come in a wide range of sizes, I totally forget the brand name, but they are carried at higher-end tack stores, especially ones geared towards dressage riders.
At first they feel horrible (I tried one on, blech!) but there is absolutely no movement when you jump up and down, and apparently you get used to the feeling of having something strapped around half your body.

Good luck! You are not the only one!

Vidaloco

09-17-2009 09:10 AM

I am a D cup so I do know exactly what your talking about. I have even gone practically a whole ride holding the girls with one arm. I finally invested in some good sports bras. You want to look at the ones that are specifically "high impact" sports bras. I didn't know there were different types till I did some research. I figured a sports bra is a sports bra, not so :lol:
I was also given the suggestion of wearing a sports bra over a regular bra but that sounded too uncomfortable and hot.

drafts4ever

09-17-2009 10:33 AM

I'm a middle C and although I do fit my body type I guess I have more tissue than muscle? If I do anything faster that walking on foot I try to hold the girls in and if I'm riding I've been doubling bras. I'll ask a few tack shops to see if they have any dressage bras I can try or just go to target and try every sport bra that fits.
The only sports bra I have is the one I use for my pole competitions and that's just to hold me in so I don't flash the judges. So for riding it's not snug enough unless I'm wearing a regular bra under it and it does get hot, and sweaty...ick.

roro

09-17-2009 12:04 PM

I'm a 32 C and I just wear push-ups, I'm tall so I need them lol
I don't really have much of an issue with it, although I haven't tried sitting the trot for long periods of time on my new horse who has a huge stride so we'll see about that. I have actually never worn a sports bra, I hate ugly underwear with a passion.

shesinthebarn

09-17-2009 12:43 PM

I'm not chesty, but I am a breast - feeding mommy, so the girls are sensitive! I use a high impact sports bra - not so flattering, but the twins are not sore after a ride! I think my fave is a Warner's high impact - holds everything in place and is super soft.

kevinshorses

09-17-2009 01:06 PM

WOW best thread ever!! I know some women that use an ace bandage for support.

mom2pride

09-17-2009 04:46 PM

I don't usually, although when I've had a particularly long session with a horse, I might.

I ditto the getting a bra that fits snuggly, and properly. If you've never been measured, you may want to do so; putting on 2 bras, may be keeping it tighter, but if they still aren't fitting properly that could be why you're getting sore.

smrobs

09-17-2009 04:54 PM

Oh honey, I feel your pain. I range from a C to a small D depending on how much I weigh at that particular time. I don't know anything about the GDB's but I did find the high impact sports bras are now my best friends. I ride western and it is not "proper" to post the trot (though I do sometimes anyway) so most the time I sit it even on rough travelling horses and it doesn't take long for the girls to get sore and then my back gets sore from them bouncing around. I found my first high impact bra at Wal-Mart and have gotten about 6 more since then. The 2 brands that I really like are Bestform and Fruit of the Loom. I went without one the other day and just wore a regular sports bra when I took Dobe for a ride and afterward, I was miserable. And Dobe is the smoothest horse we have!!